Sounding device for musical instruments, &amp;c.



W. A. RICHTER. SOUNDING DEVICE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, 6w. APPLICATION mm m 2a; 1917.

Patent/ed Mar. 5, 1918.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. RICHTER, OF NEW YQRK, N. Y.

SOUNDING DEVICE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, 8w.

Application filed May 28, 1917.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLiAM A. Rrcrrrnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Bronx, county of Bronx, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sounding Devices for Musical Instruments, &c., of which the following is a specification. 1

The object of my invention is to afford a simple hand-implement which may be conveniently manipulated to vibrate musical strings, such as the strings of violins, banjos, mandolins, zithers and the like.

The invention consists essentially of a peripherally prepared rotatable cylindrical sounder mounted on the end of a flexible shaft connected with a suitable source of power and provided with a handle sleeve by means of which the sounder may be brought successively into contactual relation with the musical strings to be vibrated. The sounder is adapted to the production of various string music effects, and relieves the hand of the operator of all labor except that of holding the implement and applying it to the strings to be vibrated.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1, shows means essential to the practical application of my invention;

Fig. 2, is an elevation upon a larger scale of the sounder, handle sleeve, etc.;

Fig. 3, is a front elevation of the sounder shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, is a sectional elevation of the sounder, handle sleeve, and connecting means.

M, represents a rotary motor of any suitable character, preferably a small electromotor, which drives the flexible shaft m, which may be of any desired or well known structure.

The sounder S, is connected to the outer end of the flexible shaft m, by means of any appropriate mechanical expedient, as for instance that shown by way of illustration in Fig. 4, of the drawings in which m, represent-s a coupling member on the extremity of the flexible shaft m, engaging with a corresponding coupling member-c, on the inner end of the spindle C, upon the outer end of which the sounder S, is mounted. The coupling members m, and 0, are inclosed within the sleeve H, which covers the flexible shaft m, sufiiciently to form ahandle by which the device may be manipulated Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 5, 1918.

Serial No. 171,351.

without contact with said flexible shaft. The spindle C, is mounted in a bearing Z),

consisting of a screw plug engaging with der of suitable diameter and thickness, ac-

cording to the character of the musical strings with which it is to be brought into contact for the purpose of producing sound vibrations. It may be constituted of various materials adapted to the requirements of such special uses. Forinstance, if designed for use in conjunction with the strings of a violin or other musical string instrument, it may consist of almost any solid material wound peripherally with horse hair which will cause it to produce sounds similar to those attained by the ordinary bow. And it may for certain purposes be made of rubber, or of wood covered peripherally with rubber, or covered with felt or other material.

In lieu of a peripheral covering of horse hair or other material the peripheral surface of the sounder may be roughened in various degrees of coarseness to assure adequate frictional contact with the strings.

My device is designed primarily as a sub stitute for the violin bow or other hand implement employed for effecting the vibration of musical strings, so as to afford and attain all the variable individualistic effects of artistic execution and expression without the difficulty and fatigue involved in the use of the bow or other known hand implement for imparting musical vibrations to stringed instruments. It is not designed for automatic players in any sense of the word; and it is to be noted in this connection that my improved string vibrator is applicable to all the strings of the instrument to be played upon.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Means for vibrating musical-instrument-strings, comprising a peripherally prepared cylindrical rotatable sounder, mounted on the free end of a flexible shaft, said flexible shaft, means for rotating it, and means around said shaft for manipulating the sounder to actuate successively the various music-strings of the instrument.

'2. Means for Vibrating musical-instruate successive-1y the various music-strings inent-strings, comprising 12: rotatable cylinof the instrument. drical sounder the perip cry of which is x faced with horse hair, a flexible shaft on the WVILLIAM RICH [LR 5 free end of Which said rotatable cylindrical Witnesses:

sounder is mounted, and means around said GEO. WM. MrA'r'r, shaft for manipulating'said sounder to actu- DOROTHY Mm'r'r.

(ioplel of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the .Commissioner of Patent. Washington, D. 0. 

